Robot Chronicles
by P1L9R1M
Summary: A collection of short stories focusing on robotic main characters and the plights and plots they are involved in. Each story will reference a character from a previous story or foreshadow of ones to come.
1. The Hero

Squalls of water fell upon the rain stricken window as the small red car slid helpless toward an out of control creek bed. The metal barrier emplaced to halt such incidents barely slowed the turbulent vehicle, only causing it to flip side over side and disappear into the torrential flood that was overtaking the once small creek. Yet, even though the car had stopped its chaotic journey, the young, blonde woman inside was still in great danger.

She flicked and poked every button she could think of to try and help her escape this stormy nightmare but nothing would alleviate the stress or muddy water. It was spewing in from every crevice of the car, through the door seams, the trunk, and even the venting. She had to think fast if she wanted to salvage at least her life. Before she could manage another move though, the car jolted hard and slammed her head into the steering wheel. She slowly lost consciousness, even though she was screaming and fighting from inside her own head. Then, all went black. No more cold water, no more panic, and no more pain.

The blonde, petite woman exploded awake as the cold and reality shocked her back to life. She was blinded by rain, and a very bright light. An unnaturally familiar voice startled her as her eyes tried to adjust. A firm, strong hand gripped her arm and lifted her up as if she weighed nothing, even in her drenched clothes. Emergency lights and sirens distracted her as her rescuer carried her to the ambulance. As she slid onto the stretcher, she strained all her being to catch a glimpse of just who had saved her from that watery grave.

He stood before her, the blue and red emergency lights bouncing around his perfectly built body. She recognized him now, knowing now why she thought the voice familiar. He was a H.E.R.O., a Human Emergency Response Operative robot. Built to be quick, strong, and more efficient than any normal human could ever be. He had proved his name this evening, saving another innocent from an untimely and excruciating death. Tonight, he was her hero.

-

"Great job tonight, H!" a man in a police uniform exclaimed to the robotic hero as he passed by. But, H did not feel like a hero. H felt more like a tool. He quickly engaged his built in thrusters and took off into the stormy sky, knowing all in that area were no longer in need of his services. His services, a demeaning word to explain his purpose and existence. H was built to save people from disasters, death, and despair but that was a luxury now. Now, thanks to all of the other H.E.R.O. bots, the world was rarely in peril. No more war, no more fighting, which in turn meant no more H.

He landed on the edge of a building with a light thud, adjusting his leg and feet sensors to balance him on the narrow ledge. H stared out at the city, scanning it for anything exciting and amazing. He found nothing more than a cat stuck in a tree and an old lady who had spilt her groceries while slipping in a puddle. H simulated what it would be like if those elements were magnified, events more suiting of his abilities, of his services. The cat in the tree would be an escaped lion from the zoo that was on a rampage, maiming and killing abroad with no stop in sight. H would fly down and do battle with the no free imprisoned beast, perhaps even taking battle damage himself in the mayhem. In the end, only one of them would walk away with all their circuits intact. As for the puddle, it could be a sinkhole out of control! Swallowing everything in sight! H would have to devise an elaborate plan to rescue all the people in its path all the while trying to ascertain how to slow the expansive crag. He would have to fly down into the planet and blast underground pathways that would fill the hole with lava, where upon he would find a water tower and dump it on the magma pool, creating new earth and saving everyone in turn!

A man screamed out as H broke the man's gun wielding arm during his mesmerizing day dream. H quickly scanned the man and his damaged limb then punched a hole in the face of the building, pulling a piece of rebar from it. H then tore the man's shirt and made a temporary splint for the arm. H then grabbed the deranged man and leaned in close to his face. "REMEMBER, CITIZEN. IT IS BETTER TO BE DAMAGED THAN TO BE DEAD. NEXT TIME YOU THREATEN TO SHOOT YOURSELF ON A LEDGE, I MAY NOT ARRIVE IN TIME TO STOP YOU."

H took the suicidal gun jumper to the street level and secured his apprehension. His praise was less this time, however. This time, the paramedics stared at H with questioning glances, whispering about the treatment H had placed upon this man. H took note but was too preoccupied with his next mission. This crisis, as many like it before, were merely a job for the lazy creators that gave birth to H. This H.E.R.O. model was destined for great things, to overshadow all of the other units built like him. H flew off from the gathered crowd of police and pedestrians, ignoring their calls for reprogramming and repair. H was off to find his destiny, as the humans called it, and nothing was going to stop him.

-

H rocketed through the night sky as the storms raged on, hurling bolts of lightning down up the world. H simulated a bolt of lightning coming into to contact with munitions factory. That simulation was quickly put on pause as an incoming video message filled his visor screen. It was a warning that a rogue H.E.R.O. unit was causing accidents and carnage, and that all Operatives were to engage and apprehend the malfunctioning bot. H processed the message and was elated. FINALLY! Finally, H would have his challenge. He would face this rogue Operative and dismantle it! He would destroy its erroneous adventure, in turn becoming a true hero!

H stopped his simulations due to an incoming airplane, one of the computer piloted versions. Without hesitation, H bolted over to the large craft, landing on the nose of the aircraft. "WHAT. IS. YOUR. PURPOSE?" the piloting interface messaging H asked. "I AM HERE TO PROTECT YOU. THERE IS A ROGUE OPERATIVE. YOU ARE A PRIME TARGET FOR ATTACK SHOULD IT BE IN THE AREA." The plane only responded with silence. H computed this as a sign of compliance as he walked along the top of the craft. "UNIT 747 ALERTED US TO YOUR LOCATION, OPERATIVE H-7." a familiar voice announced on H's visor.

H had been too occupied with simulations to notice the approaching Operatives as they landed on automated air bus. "MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS!" H exclaimed excitedly. "HAVE YOU COME TO INTERCEPT THE ROGUE OPERATIVE TOO?" The other Operatives delayed in their response but then began to approach H quickly. "YOU ARE THE ROGUE, H-7" the middle one stated as the three rocket leapt upon H, pinning him to the roof. H was confused. He processed the variables and deduced the correct answer quite quickly. There was more than one rogue Operative! Of course! Perhaps some kind of virus or manufacturing error in the newer units. H's simulation was coming true! He would have his excursion and become a champion.

H flattened himself against the surface of the plane and, using the rain as a natural lubricant, slide his feet up under the middle Operative. With his foot boosters at maximum, H burned the tainted robot in half, his circuits charging and exciting as the others fried and deteriorated. With his feet free and the boosters at maximum, H carried the other two impostors into the tail of the plane, knocking them loose of his arms. Before H could compute his next move, one of the corrupt Operatives slammed into him, careening them both on top of the left wing of the plane.

The robot was wrapped around H from behind making it hard for H to gain an advantage on it. His boosters were running low and they were still very high in the air, he would need them should they come loose of the plane. The rogue bot was trying to overextend his limb capacities, crippling H if it succeeded. H chose to preserve himself at all costs, regardless if the plane or people suffered. If this virus was serious, then they would need him to save them.

H's arms were being pulled back, so he would have to use his feet first. H reared back and kicked hard into the top of the wet wing, knocking a small hole into it. The virus driven villain switched its tactics and began attack H's legs. With his hands free, H thrust down and tore a piece of steel, crushing it in both hands so it would resemble a spike. Then, he jabbed backwards. He needed only do this once since the face visor of the evil robot shattered in the first stab. Now offline, the unresponsive Operative slide off the wing, catching in the engine and exploding as its energy cells burst open.

"IT APPEARS THESE PEOPLE NEED A H.E.R.O." the last Operative messaged H as he boosted into view. H was narrowly hanging on the edge of the now destroyed wing by his left arm, his right arm unit damaged from the explosion, as was his visor cracked. H tracked the traitor as it flew beneath the plane and began to correct the unstable aircrafts trajectory. H knew this was a trick. This unit was merely altering the course so that it would hit a school or an endangered zoo, or worse! This unit would "save" these people and take the glory, condemning H and causing him to seem the perpetrator.

H would rather these people die than be pawns it a rogue Operatives evil scheme. Using the small amount of boosters he had left, H let go of the wing and checked the malicious machine from its position. The hit used the last amount of his fuel but it was enough. He had stuck his fist straight through the visor of the other unit, shutting it down in an instance. Now, he was freefalling. He was spinning out of control, with each glimpse being either the ground below or the doomed plane above. He deduced it was best to use the other Operative as a cushion, absorbing some of the shock in the process. This would increase his survival chances to fifteen percent, should he hit ground.

Even through the damaged visor, H could measure the distance to the earth below. The intervals were longer because of his out of control rotations but he could still adjust to it. Impact would be in TEN...EIGHT...SIX...FOUR...TWO...


	2. Red- The Final Day

Red dust swirled through the air violently as the emergency space shuttle blasted away from the Martian bubble, now breached and consumed with vegetation. The ship rattled the surface as it tore itself away from the violent plant life that was overtaking the red surface. With one good eye left, Red watched as the space vehicle careened away from the crimson planet. His power cells were nearly depleted due to his long struggle and amount of damage he accrued in the process of evacuating Kate. Yet, she was safe now so he didn't mind the sleep mode approaching his circuits. He decided, before he shut down, that he would replay the events previous to this moment so as to honor Kate and replay how Red overcame such a major cataclysm...even if he was a robot.

**Red - Day 1**

"How much longer, Red?" The voice on the service bots communicator asked with a joking impatience. "I have plenty to get done and those supplies aren't going to move themselves." Red, the sole robot supplied to the first group allowed to terraform Martian surface, was quickly moving supplies from the most recent supply drop brought to them by a cargo transport on its way to one of the moons of Jupiter. Not only was Red in charge of supplies and maintenance but he was also responsible for medical emergencies and security. Since the humans were limited to their home inside the bubble, Red was the main operator outside of the base. He actually was in a hurry since a massive dust storm was moving towards their location, and he did not want to be caught outside in it.

"You forget, Kate," Red responded over the comms. "I am the only way you can get to these supplies. However, if you think are robot enough you can march out here and handle this yourself." Kate responded with laughter as Red finished with his loaded into the supply dome. "It's too bad that storm is moving in," Kate sparked over the comm again. "There was supposed to be a fantastic meteor shower tonight. We could've seen it before those silly Earthlings!" Red calculated that Kate was joking once again, as was her custom. She herself was from Earth after all, everything was during this current time. "We will have plenty of meteor showers, Kate," Red replied as he locked up the supply dome. "Until the terraforming is complete the sky will be clearer and less reflective of the surface unlike that of Earths. Patience is a program you humans could use more of." Kate could not talk through all of her laughter, and Red was fine with that. He enjoyed any form of entertainment he could supply them with while they were living and working here.

Later that evening, after Red had surveyed and secured the structures and systems, he joined Kate in the mess hall with the others. Everyone except Kate had already eaten, she always waited for Red before she would eat dinner. Red was unnoticed as he entered though, all of the humans were focused on the television that was built into the main dining table. In the supplies, more recordings had been brought from Earth of all the recent events including sports, weather, stocks, government, and celebrity updates. However, they also provided updates on crime, war, and all other heinous acts carried out by the human instincts. He did not understand their violent tendencies and malevolent attributes, robots were purer than they...or so Red's circuits told him as much.

Each person was now aware of Red's presence and they seemed quite unnerved and reserved from whatever report they were watching. The round dining table was only half full from the crew as they huddled in a half circle around the inner screen, sharing glances between one another and the table, and finally on Red. From left to right, Red met each of their eyes. Physician and psychologist Wang Zhou, a smaller man in his mid-forties who was an elite in his field. Leaning over in his white lab coat, his green eyes flitted between the screen and Red's view circles, analyzing and computing through his glasses. Red was immune to the doctors thoughts and training, and Red knew this frightened the man. Next was engineer and botanist Abe Houston, an amazing farmer and mechanic who always wore denim overalls and a blue baseball cap that read "Yes, Sir!" Abe looked up at Red with a blank face then smirked and nodded to the mechanical marvel. Abe was a good man, Red knew this from his time here. After Abe, Rita Marley, the head communications and computer officer. She was a dark skinned woman, Red believed her family was probably from Australian or African descent originally, but he could not tell because neither of those characterized this woman. She was tough AND smart, and Red admired her for that. Rita trained daily in the rec room, always pushing herself as hard as she does with her computer specialties. Chef and Security Officer Scotty stood next to Rita, chewing avidly on a piece of uncooked spaghetti. The stoic man was fixated on the screen as Red approached, the only motion coming from his mouth as he played with the rigid food. Red knew the man to be jovial as per norm so now his interest was piqued. Lastly, Kate leaned on the opposite end of the table as Wang, slowly playing with the large quantity of noodles and marinara sauce. She seemed to be ignoring the news feed yet still listening to it, which probably meant it was important but something she neither agreed nor cared about. Kate was in charge of Red. His repairs, functions, and actions were all on her. Without Red, they would be doomed. Yet, without Kate, they were equally as doomed.

The others stayed there places as Red finally took a stance next to the table, already trying to probe the view screen of whatever mystery it had unveiled. Kate was the only happy person at the table, thrilled that her metal man had arrived finally. She leapt up and grab around his head and shoulders, since his model did not have a protruding neck joint as humans do. He did not even sway as she pushed all of her weight on him, not that she weighed anything, even in human standards. Red figured himself somewhere between her child and her companion, he could never really tell. Whichever, she loved him and he loved her. Both were lost without one another, and this place would be lost if not for the odd pair.

"By your expressions, I would calculate that the news is unpleasant and unnerving?" Red voiced aloud to the others as Kate hopped back down to the table. Without hesitation, Abe responded. "It would seem one of the H.E.R.O. units went on a rampage," Abe said with a raised eyebrow. "I'm sure it's completely isolated but nevertheless it IS unpleasant AND unnerving." Red nodded, a motion he learned from Abe. "I understand your distraught and disgusted expressions now," Red replied aloud to the others. "However, I am more advanced than that of the H.E.R.O. bots. They are limited in what manner they can function. My freedoms actually allow me to have very few flaws, other than the occasional wear and tear." Wang stood up and cleared his throat. "Thank you, Red, for your comforting response," Wang said as he pushed he cleaned his glasses. "That is a human characteristic and we appreciate the effort. Yet, our thoughts and concerns are justified. This may be an isolated event but it is always good to be prepared for any unsavory alternatives." Rita chuckled as she voiced her concern. "It can't be any more unsavory than the "safe" cooking provided for us!" They all burst into laughter, save for Red and Scotty. Red did not eat their food and Scotty was too busy trying to think of a response. "Just remember, Rita," Scotty said in a soft tone, making the others quiet down. "The last cook was also the chemical expert. I am certain MY food is much safer than his!" Kate popped in by saying, "Yeah, but we knew the difference between the food and chemicals last time!" Now, they all laughed, except for Red again. He was troubled by this rogue unit, sure it was nothing more than a single bad product. However, this did bring about curiosities about his own capabilities. What would stop Red from falling prey to something as sinister?

"Alright! Enough fun and games," Rita stated with a yawn. "Everyone report to their respectable domes so we can lock this place down and get some rest." Red's circuitry inspection would have to wait until his sleep cycle. Scotty and the super machine sealed up each area of the main dome as the others traveled through the tubes to their respectable branches. The outer dome covered the five other domes inside, which were in the shape of a star, the main dome lying in the middle of the other five smaller domes. Abe dwelled in the agriculture dome, which also housed the equipment for terraforming. Wang stayed in the medical dome, which also housed the recreational equipment. Rita lived in the mainframe of the facility but her physical body was confined to the comms array. Chef Scotty was in charge of the cargo dome, since he was the cook and the cop. Lastly, Kate and Red stayed in the robotics dome, where Red was maintained and the other robotic portions were repaired and refined.

Each of them reached their domes, ready for rest and some well deserved sleep. Their days were long on Mars, not because of the distance from the Sun but because they had so much to maintain and complete. Kate palmed the DNA pad and danced as it lit up green, laughing at herself for making it recognize her as "Queen Kate." Once inside, the door slid shut from its top resting position, beeping loudly as it sealed itself. Rita locking everyone in as they found their way home. She could control everything from her dome but she didn't have to worry about much. The system initiated a sleep mode for the entire grounds, shutting down systems that were unnecessary for that time, dimming lights and limiting power to each unit. They are mainly on solar power but can capture reserves and run on that alternatively in case of atmospheric or emergency situations. Red was built in the same manner, Kate insisted on it.

Kate began her evening routine of checking all the systems and cycles for the robotic stations and units. With her multitasking prowess, she had also noticed Red's state of voluntary inaction. "What's wrong, Big Red?" Kate asked in her usual bubbly tone as she let her blonde hair fall down from its bun. Red looked down and began scanning his hands as he held them in front of himself. "I am simply being cautious, K," he said plainly. Before his security scan could finish, Kate's hands were resting in his, her brown eyes peering up at him. "Don't worry, big guy," she said with a smile. "Everyone doubts themselves from time to time. It just means you are normal, like the rest of us!" She always knew what to say to him. He was always surprised at how much wisdom the twenty five year old woman had to offer.

"Come tuck me in!" the spunky blonde said as she kicked off her shoes and pants. Red picked up the articles of clothing as his energetic creator landed on the bed, laying still until her mechanical man covered her up. He placed her clothes on the nightstand next to her bed, turning on her favorite music within his voice projector. Red pulled the covers over her, lulling her to sleep with the playlist she had programmed him with. Red took his place at the edge of her bed, setting himself into a low energy usage state, although still playing the music for Kate. Red would now succumb to his own projected dreams, ones he simulated for himself for maximum positivity and refreshment. This dream would be the time Kate started a food fight in the mess hall with the others. Red was confused at the time, considering the wasted cleaning materials and food yet he found great enjoyment in the random and unexpected joy everyone experienced. Red became motionless even though his circuits were dancing with delight. Kate had once again trumped his logical reasoning with her unique outlook, and for this Red was grateful. It was hard being human, and even harder to be a robot.

**Red - Day 1 - Twilight**

"Red... Red..." The voice repeated his name over and over again as the robot dreamed his dreams of electric sheep. He tried to locate the source of the voice, scanning his dreamland with his dream vision. Nothing. Then, suddenly, Red's dream began to crumble and fall in upon itself, crashing down around him like a cataclysm. He was not fast enough, not strong enough, and not ready enough to face this catastrophe. As the helpless robot fell into the darkness with his dream he could faintly hear the voice again. "Red...red...red...ALERT!"

The hulking android exploded awake as the emergency lights and sounds shook his sensors. He immediately began searching for Kate regardless of protocol, but he needn't look far. She was already dressed, and scared. "Red," she yelled despite her quivering voice. "What is happening!?" The metal man was already processing his surroundings, as well as the security feeds and computer systems. The large, white, dust covered robot turned toward Kate as he rose, silenced from his findings. Before he could speak, the visual comm burst on presenting a stern faced Rita.

"Kate! Red!" She asked with a yelling tone that showed she was relieved to see them both. "Is your dome secure? Has it been breached?" Kate looked around in confusion to here still solid dome, Red scanning over the room just in case her human vision was not enough. "No, we are still intact," she replied slowly. 'What's going on Rita? Why are you checking in and not Scotty? What's with all of the defcon lights and noises?" Rita paused for a moment, looking around as if trying not to answer the question even though it is the very reason she contacted them. "Scotty is on his way to the agricultural dome..." Kate sat down on her bed as Rita went on to explain the rest. "Abe's dome has been breached, which also means the main shell has been breached. Scotty is on his way to see if Abe is injured or even alive." Kate's eyes now swelled with emotion while Red's flickered with purpose. "Shouldn't I be the one to inspect Abe's dome, considering the situation and the potential threat to humans?" Rita leaned back in her chair and ran her hands through her fingers while grimacing. "We can't risk losing you, Red. As ridiculous and absurd as it seems, you are the most important individual here. Should we all die from exposure or some other unforeseen occurrence, you will be here to replay the happenings and horrors. Kate began to sob as she gently curled up in her bed, Red's presence with her as immediate as her tears.

"Kate, I need you to..." the feed from Rita fell silent as a large rumble swelled under and around the dome. Metal could be heard twisting and bending as an unknown force crept outside, terrorizing all in its path. Red rushed to the outer port window and scanned the area. Red had never felt confusion or disbelief before but to his dismay the entire middle and agricultural domes were covered in vegetation. However, as Red scanned the frantic foliage, he discovered that it was growing at an exponential rate, possibly a byproduct from whatever caused the initial alert to engage. Mars was being terraformed it just wasn't under their control now.

"Kate," Red vocalized calmly. "I need to get you to the escape shuttle." Kates sobs stopped as her now terrified and tear stricken face rose from her pillows. "Red...what is it?" She asked nervously, leaving her bed and slowly approaching the window. Before she could peer outside, Red spun and picked her up with a surprising force, rushing her to the other side of the dome. "Quickly put on your breather and enviro suit, Kate," the large construct instructed, cautiously putting her down outside of the emergency pod. "Red..." Kate voiced before opening the pod. Red looked at the young inventor, then back at the viewing port. "Hurry, we don't have much ti-" Red's vocals were cut short as loud crash from the other side of the dome shook the room, and the air. Kate tensed herself up on the pod, frantically palming the pad to open it as she held her breath in fear. It usually opens loudly but with all of the rushing air and battering noises she could barely hear it or even focus on it due to the mixed air from Mars and the Dome.

Red pushed Kate inside of the pod and quickly shut the door on her. He whirled around just in time to see a bed, desk, and console hurtling his way. He blocked all three of the objects but had not noticed the fourth one, a strong force that was now wrapping around him. Without looking, Red tore the attacker apart, throwing it towards the opposite side of the dome. Now, he could see the assaulting party. Through the mixed rushing air, multiple vines were creeping inside of the dome, crushing everything under the weight, creeping into everything. Red was once again in disbelief. He knew that plants were sentient but he wasn't aware of anything on this scale. Although, if Red was possible, what wasn't?

"Red!" Kate screamed from inside of the emergency chamber. "I can't get out!" The bot looked back to see the pod partially damaged, probably from the first attack he suffered. He ran some scenarios through his mind before grabbing the pod, lifting it out from the wall. Kate screamed hysterically as the sealed cell tossed her to and fro. "Worry not, Kate," Red replied to her fear. "Your discomfort will only be momentary. Brace yourself until we have reached the emergency shuttle." With those words, Red tucked the pod under his arm, readying his other from combat or chaos.

The dome door opened slowly as the pressure and problems took a toll on the systems and structure. It jammed about halfway open, big enough for the pod OR Red but not both at the same time. Without hesitation, he forced the pod under the door and into the tubular tunnel running between the two domes. As he knelt down to slide under, his left leg unit seemed unable to move, almost pinned down by something. He reached back blindly, feeling for a reason, and he found it. Another vine had grabbed him, this one just as strong as the last but before he could remove it another one swooped around his torso and left arm, the one trying to fix the problem. He reached forward with his right arm and tried to pull himself under the door, pushing Kate's pod further into the hallway. He never usually envied other robots but right now he really wished he were installed with jet boosters of some type or even a welding torch.

As he struggled to free himself, the pod began to move on its own, away from the dome he was in and towards the main dome. Red scanned the pod and surroundings and quickly saw what was happening. A tangled mess of vines were dragging the pod away, although Red was confused as to why the plants would want it. It didn't matter though because they were taking Kate and he was not going to allow that. Diverting power to his right arm, Red gripped the torso tangler and tore it off of himself. He pushed himself over with both arms and ripped the ankle assailant off as well, throwing it against the wall with a thud.

Red burst through the dome door, shattering the travel tube in the process. He did not care about the collateral damaged, he only cared about Kate. The main domes door was open, leaving a gapping black hole staring at the enrage entity as he trampled towards it. Without a second thought, Red burst into the room, tripping up immediately as he careened through a web of vines. "RED!" Kate's voice shook the darkness and alerted the manic machine towards her position. He switched his viewing lenses to night vision only somewhat allowing him to find the pod. With a furry, Red tore and trampled his way through the wicked weeds. He finally spotted a light source and switched his viewing modes, revealing to him that part of the agricultural dome was ablaze. The tube leading to it was crumpled but Red could see an opening through all of the red dust, ash, and oxygen. He could also see a mess of vines dragging a familiar pod inside of the damaged dome, and another group dragging what looked to be the bodies of Rita and Wang.

Outside of Abe's dome, Red pushed onward, trying to keep himself on course as the atmosphere spiraled around him violently. He climbed up the debris slowly, wanting to go faster but knowing he may be the only way to save the others. At the top of the mountain of material, Red could barely see inside of the building, flashes of lightning illuminating the sky as the fire inside blanketed the area. Red switched his vision mode to heat vision to get a clearer view through the smoke, and what he saw was almost unreal, even from a robots standards.

Five human heat sources, the original crew other outpost. A large heat spot that was obviously a raging yet contained fire. And, a massive heat source that looks like millions of heated circuits snaking their way through all of the domes and areas, siphoning heat from every object they can find. This would explain why the vegetation seemed to want to grip Red and hold him tight, immobile. They wanted to transfer the warmth to the massive body they were connected to, which would also explain the contained flames so close. The large entity producing all of the tendrils and consuming all of the heat was something Red had never seen before. A massive plant creature that was encased inside what seemed to be an asteroid or some type of rock not of this planet. It was lodged in the ceiling of the dome, warming itself over the fire below, feeding and fueling itself on the products within the agricultural dome and surroundings. Red figured that between the intense heat and the amount of biological and terraforming equipment that the once dormant plant was spurred into growing and consuming hastily.

As Red watched and hesitated, the space plant extended some sort of tongue from what could only be its maw. It slide down slowly from the ceiling, swaying back and forth and pulsating as it neared the warm bodies. The moment it touched Abe's body it shot back into its mouth, Abes warmth disappearing inside of the creature. Red began to hurry now, knowing that the others would be consumed very soon if he didn't reach them. Red switched his vision back to normal and took a step back, waiting for the sticky tongue to reveal itself again. He had to only wait moments before it reappeared, creeping down from the foreign fangs. Red waited only a second longer then charged and leapt onto the alien appendage.

He was quickly rolled up into the beasts breath, being immediately assaulted in some kind of plant bile. Red could already tell his structure was taking damage from the powerful agent it was coating him in. He had to move fast while he had the room, quickly punching the nearest part of the creature he could find. That only caused him to be in a worse situation as the inner walls of the mouth crushed down on him from all angles, piercing parts of his frame with thorny objects allowing the acidity to leak in more. The biological force backed off of Reds body, apparently thinking him dead or defeated from that blow, and that wasn't too far off. One of this eyes was also damaged now, crippling how much viewing range he had. Still, Red was not going to give up on Kate.

The damaged drone lay still for a moment trying to assess his options. Before he could even figure out a plan, Kates voice broke through the chaos. She was screaming but Red could not make out if she was saying something or simply in peril. Whatever it was, it caused the maw to open and the tongue to begin its descent again. The creature was totally unaware of Reds survival, it must have thought him a simple machine, and he was going to prove it wrong. With the mouth open, Red could see that some of the computer systems were still operating and that the fertilizer compartments were still sealed. With a simple command, Red had the computer open the container. The mere noise excited the tongue as it shot towards the moving parts, nabbing up the flammable fertilizer in the process. Red quickly commanded the door to shut, catching the tongue in the computers maw.

Red boosted his circuits and shut down the damaged non-hindering ones so that he could quickly escape the voracious plant. It nearly caught him but it was caught off guard while trying to free its own body from the machine across the room. Using all of his weight, Red grabbed hold of the tongue and pulled it down into the fire, himself included. The monstrous plant was now shaking the roof of the dome as it writhed in pain, fire now searing its limbs. The tongue shattered the compartment door and smacked Red away from itself as it reeled upward in retreat, flames consuming its sensitive skin. Red landed on some rubble and was stunned as a piece of metal sheered through his left leg. He stared up at the alien as it pulled flames and fertilizer into itself. Within seconds, the ceiling seedling swelled outward then burst into flames in every direction, the inside of the dome heating up immensely as all of the fertile vines fed the fire.

A scream once again jolted Reds movements, making him look away from his victory and back at the chaos. Kate had broken free of the pod and was stumbling around frantically dodging the falling flames. "Kate!" Red voiced loudly, startling her again as she fought through the inferno. "Get to the escape shuttle!" She could not see Red, and he was grateful for that, he did not want her to see him in this shape. She had managed to put all of the enviro gear on so she stood a chance outside of the dome without him. As she clambered out of the dome, she looked back one last time but could not see through the smoke like Red could. She could not see that the others had all already died from exposure and oxygen deprivation, nor could she see Reds damaged body laughing on yards away from her.

**Red - The Final Day**

Kate pushed on outside of what used to be the agricultural dome, the air violent and malicious, whipping and thundering at her with every step she took. Her heads-up display gave her the correct location and distance to the escape shuttle due to the beacon on it being activated during emergency alerts. Even though she could not see it she knew she was headed in the right direction. After the longest ten minutes of her life, she stumbled onto the launch site, the shuttle already lit up in preparation. She wasted no time boarding the craft but once inside she did wait. She waited for anyone else to show up or to radio. She waited long enough for the fires to burn out, using the few cameras left operating to watch for any signs of life. To her dismay, she could see tons of vegetation creeping and crawling about, vines overtaking everything in sight , and nearing her location. Kate waited no longer, strapping herself in and firing up the engines and trajectory systems.

Red dust swirled through the air violently as the emergency space shuttle blasted away from the Martian bubble, now breached and consumed with vegetation. The ship rattled the surface as it tore itself away from the violent plant life that was overtaking the red surface. With one good eye left, Red watched as the space vehicle careened away from the crimson planet. His power cells were nearly depleted due to his long struggle and amount of damage he accrued in the process of evacuating Kate. Yet, she was safe now so he didn't mind the sleep mode approaching his circuits. He decided, before he shut down, that he would replay the events previous to this moment so as to honor Kate and replay how Red overcame such a major cataclysm...even if he was a robot.

Kate watched the cameras closely as she rocketed away from the planet, watching as the vegetation exploded into growth as the fire consumed it, regrowing at an exponential amount. Whatever this was, it owned Mars now. The Red planet would soon become the Green planet at this rate, possibly too hostile for humans or machines to dwell on considering the temper and resilience of the plant. She swore to herself that she would go back for Red when she was able as well as to kill the plant that killed her hopes, dreams, and colleagues. She had warned Abe about crossbreeding and evolutionary advancements bred into the vegetation they were attempting to grow there. That single asteroid breach must have jump started the process, the radiation and heat causing it to mutate and regrow faster and faster, as well as convert the air into something suitable for the plant.

Kate and Red lost sight of each other at the same time. Once out of the atmosphere, her connection was lost. Once her ship had disappeared into the sky, Red lost his connection. One of the most unique robots to ever be created lost to one of the most unique plants to ever be created. Both just following their genetics and codes...


	3. Reflections

Light began to flood into the pitch black room, cutting a swath through the shadows enveloping the room. Two figures wearing lab coats stood in the doorway, peering into the dark void, their eyes scanning what little they could see. "You ready?" asked the blonde man, cleaning his glasses thoroughly. "The sooner we finish this, the sooner we can go home," the dark haired woman stated. "Good," the blonde man replied. "Then, hit the lights." Light filled the area, revealing the task ahead of the two scientists. The blonde mans coat read "Green" while the brunette ladies read "Blue," each of them having the same colored eyes as tags.

The room was a solid white, rows of fluorescent lights along the ceiling exposing the room. Counters and drawers ran along the walls, leaving the middle empty for one table. The table itself held the only advanced piece of equipment in this ancient room. On it, the dilapidated remains of a robot, humanoid in design.

"Damn," the dark haired woman said, stepping into the room to inspect it. "I don't know which is more depressing, this facility or the state of that bot." The blonde man shook his head as he approached the table, responding slowly. "Both the building and the machine are prime examples of lost or mismanaged purposes." The other man stopped and stared in disbelief. "What are you going on about?" the woman asked, rolling up her sleeves and opening a case she had brought in with them.

"Well, each was built around specific purpose," the man said while also rolling up his sleeves and scanning his eyes over the damaged robot. "This facility was originally created for various chemical and biological tests, these rooms being built specifically for each test. However, when the company and its tests were no longer useful, this building simply became without purpose. Too expensive to retrofit, and too costly to destroy."

"And, the robot?" Blue asked, prepping various equipment from her case. "The robot..." Green replied with a depressing smile. "The robot was designed and built for a predetermined task or performance, just like the facility. Without that purpose, the robot is useless, falling into the same disrepair and stagnation as this very building."

"Well, our purpose is to retrieve the data from this unit," Blue stated, powering on the interface to her tools. "Once we do that, we can go back to our lives, put this ordeal behind us." Green smirked at his colleagues remarks. "OUR purpose?" he asked in rhetoric. "Since when do humans have purpose?" Peering up from the various devices, the dark haired womans blue eyes caught the green ones of her partner. "What the hell are you talking about?" she asked harshly. "You off your meds today?"

"No," the blue eyed man replied starkly. "I am only stating the obvious. If we are merely a creation of nature and science, with no miraculous or other worldly creators, then what is our purpose?" Green shook her head and began piecing together a probing tool. "Thinking like that will only drive you crazy," she replied. "Besides, freedom is our purpose. The freedom to create, to love, to explore, to map it all out! In turn, maybe we are the first, and our purpose is to guide those after us."

"Freedom is a three-edged sword," Blue responded pointedly, leaning over the cracked visor of the bot on the table. 'We are certainly free...free to destroy, to horde, and to control all that we want. You forget, however, that mother nature and space itself could "freely" destroy us should it please. Besides, it is the freedom that fuels my point. Without purpose, what good is freedom? A free man cannot be useful or happy without purpose and aspiration. What I mean to say is, it is nice to always know your purpose and place in life." Blue nodded in admiration, readying the item in hand.

"That's a valid point," the brunette woman replied, approaching the dormant droid. "I understand our need for purpose but I think you are overlooking the finer points of freedom, such as running out in the rain for no reason or just laying in bed all day with just your dreams and pillows."

"Speaking of dreams," Green said lightly. "Let's see what this robot has been dreaming." Blue nodded and the two hooked up the unit to the devices from the case. As Blue checked the connections, Green tapped away on the cases interface.

"Do we know which unit this is?" Green asked, intently tweaking the program for their test. "By looking at the damages," Blue said, looking over the body, "I would discern it is the responding H.E.R.O. unit. The impact in the ocean coupled with the damages received from the rampaging unit would most likely follow this pattern." Green stopped and stared at Blue. "But, they only found one unit, correct?" Blue glared at the bot intensely and responded. "Correct." "Well," Green said with a sigh. "Lets hope your right."

Blue initiated the program as Green stepped back. The case began to flood with data from the unit, confirming the identity of the remains. Blue shot Green a surprised glace just as the lights and computer case were blown out. The room once again fell into darkness, the lingering EMP shutting everything in the room down. The door opened to the room, one silhouette casting a shadow over the scene. The table, empty. The scientists dead. The H.E.R.O. was back.


End file.
